Frictional clutch or coupling.



.n srn'rwiis PATENT OFFICE.

COMPANY, A. COBPGBATIDN 0F NEW YORK.

FRICTIONAL CLUTCH 0B COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

Application filed January 5. 1967. Serial No. 350,933.

To all 'whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, Jessen subject of the Grand Duke of Baden, Gex many, residing at Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Frictional Clutches or Couplmgs, of which the following is a specification.

invention relates to frictional clutches or couplings, and its object is to improve their construction and operationas set forth more particularly in the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawingsnllustrating certain embodiments of my invent-ion, Figure 1 is an axial section of one form of coupling; F s. 2, 3, 4 and 5 sh ow the arrangement o the openings in the clutch disks to permit the passage of certam of the VOLLMER, a

disengagi i members Fig. 6 is an axial section of anshtly modifed form of clutch;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of this type of clutch; Figs. 8 and 9 show the relation of the clutch disks and the disengaging inem bers in the closed and o en positions, respectively, of the clutch; 1g. 10 is s n axial section of another modification showing the clutch in closed position; Fig. 11 is asimilar section of the clutch in open position; Fig. 12 is a transverse section of the clutch shown in Figs. 10 and 11; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the members which disengage the clutch disks; and Figs. 14 and 15 are diagrammatic views showing the relation of the disengaging members and the disks.

The clutch or coupling, as is customary, controls the transmission of motion between two shafts, 1 and 2, or other rotary members, one of which is the driving or actuating member and the other the driven meinber. Beyond the clutch, these members are supported by suitable bearin s. In Fig. 1, the shaft lis attached by bo ts 3, or equivalent means, to the web 4 which forms art of a. fly wheel The web 4 is secure by bolts (3 to the cylindrical parts 7, 8 which form an inclosing casing for the clutch niemv bers and also curry one set of clutch disks l). The clutch shown in Fig. G has no fly-wheel attached and dilfers from that shown in Fig. 1 chiey iii the changes in the parts 7, 8 made necessary by the omission of the flywheel. Thus, a flanged projection 10 is formed on the member 7 to couple itdirectly to the shaft 1. The internal construction of the clutch is the saine in both gures. The disks or rings 9 are caused to rotate with the casing by keys 11, Figs. 1 and 7, on which, however, the disks are free to slide axially. Another set of disks 12, located in the spaces between the disks 9 are keyed to a substantially cylindrical member 13, but are free to slide axially on their keys 14, Fig. 7. Arms 15 projecting from a hub secured to the shaft E2 carry rolls 16 at their outer ends which engage guides formed between ribs 17 on the member 13, thus transmitting motion from the shaft to that member, but permitting a relative axial movement between them. Arms 18 connect the outer portion of the member 13 with a sleeve 19 which surrounds the shaft 2 and projects through the casing 8. Considerable clearance is left between the inner surface of the sleeve and the shaft to allow the shaft to vibrate to a. limit-ed extent without imparting the vibration to the sleeve and casing. Such vibrations if transmitted to the parts 8 and 13 would tend to disturb the proper aliiicment ofthe clutch disks and inipair the eliicieiicy of the device by preventing Contact over thc entiresurface of the disks. Vibrations of this sort often occur in motor vehicles due to lack of rigidity of the frame or chassis and in other structures which are not suiicientlj; rigid to maintain the alineinent of the shafts and their bearings.

Beyond the casing. the sleeve is provided with suitable collars 20 to engage with an operating lever Z1 which is connected with any appropriate forni of control mechanism. A spring 22 abutting against a collar 223 fixed to the shaft 2 may be used to force the parts 8 and 13 and their disks into operative engagement, the lever moving the sleeve. against the action of the spring when opening or disconnectingl the clutch.

To insure a quick aiiiirpositivc separation nf the disks when the clutch is opened. l provide toothed members Q-i,l4`ig.1l. 'llicsc ineinl'iers are secured in grooves in the ouh-r surface of the cylinder 12% lo more with it. under the iniueiicc of the lever 31. 'Ihe teeth or projections 25 are so spaced rolatively to the disks 1i! when the clutch is closed. see Fig. S. that on moving the lever 2l to release the. pressure on the disks and -ing 28. The other` part open the clutch, they engage the disksin rapid succession, one after another beginning at the right as shown 1n said' tgure. Fig. 9 shows the positions to which the teeth and the disks are moved when the clutch is fully open. If the clutch were o ned merel by releasing the pressure on t e 'end of t e series of disks, an instantaneous and sure release of the coupled shaft would not result because ot' the rnbbing and heating of the relatively rotating rinus or disks while under some pressure an the adhesion of oil between the disks.

In moving the required distance to engage with its disk, a tooth 25 may have to lie within or pass through intervening disks. As illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 1-i and 15, this inode of operation is made possible by cutting slots 26 in successive disks in staggered relation, as shown in Figs. 2

and 5,and placing the teeth in spaced rows, see Fig. 13. The slots 26 are made wider than the teeth 25 to permit a free passage of the latter.

The shaft 2 is held in roper relation to the part 7 of the casing y the ball bearings 27 and 28. The members of the ball aring 27 are secured to the end of the shaft and the portion engaging the casing is of spherical shape to facilitate alinement. of the parts of the clutch with the shaft. Between the bearing 27 and the hub of the arms l5, a cylindrical member 29 is fixed to the shaft 2 and carries one part of the bearof the bearing is secured to the projection 30 on the casing 7. A ball bearing 31 at the other end of the coupling has one of its parts fixed on the sleeve 19 and its other part mounted in the cylindrical member 32 which rotates with the casing 7, 8, but has a sliding movement in the reces 33 in the part 8 of the casing. The rin 31 on the member 13 also slides on the cylindrical member 29. The ribs 17 permit the ends of the arms 15 to remain in driving position as the member 13 is moved longitudinally. When the clutch is opened and one member rotates with respect to the other, it rotates on the ball bearings between it; and the other member.

Figs. 10, 11 and l2 show a simpler form of clutch which may be used for machines in which the framework and bearingare so rigid as to maintain the driving and driven shafts in substantial alinement. Vibration being eliminated or reduced to a minimum, the sleeve 19 may be splined to the shaft 2 and have a close slidingr tit on the shaft.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of iny invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof;

but I desire to have it understood that the illustrative, and

that the invention can other means.

What I claim as new and desire to se# cure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s.

l. In a friction clutch, the combination of driving and driven members movable axially with respect to each other, and series of interlapping disks on said members, with means for moving the-members relatively to each other to press one series into driving engagement with the other and for imparting an opposite movement to release the pressed disks from drivinfr relation, and radially projecting devices hxedly mounted on one of the members which move each disk of one series away from an adjacent disk of the other series during said releasing movement.

In a friction clutch, the combination ot cylindrical driving and driven members having series of annular interlapping friction disks of different diameters mounted thereon so that the disks of one series project inwardly beyond those of the other series, and means for opening and closing the ciutch including devices projecting radially from one of said cylindrical members which cn- `,gage with the inwardly projecting portions to separate the disks as the clutch is opened. In combination, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, clutch members connected with the shafts, one member being axially inorable relative to its shaft, series of interlapping disks mounted on the clutch members, means for actuating the axially movable member to open the clutch, and radially disposed devices iixedly mounted on said inembei' t-o move therewith which positively separate the disks as the clutch opens. 4. In a. friction clutch, the combination of cylindrical driving and driven members havin series of annular intel-lapping friction dis is of diiferent internal diameters mounted thereon so that the disks of one series project inwardly beyond those of the other series, and means for opening and closing the clutch including a series of devices projecting radially from one of said cylindrical members which engage the inwardly projecting portions of one series of disks in successive order to separate the disks as the clutch opens, there being openings in said projecting portions to permit the devices to pass through certain of the disks to engage others. 5. In a friction clutch, the eon'ibination of a driving member, a series of annular disks keyed to slide on said member,- a driven member, the. two members being movable relatively to each other, a series of annular disks keyed to slide on the driven member which interlap with the disks on the drivine member, means for moving the members re l atively to each other, and radially disposed I cylindrical -l und.

loca-ted within 'eetbuien one member moving there- ...f0fnge the disks of oneseries to paratethefdlsks when the clutch 1s opened. {(Lfflja clutch, the combination of a drivngmember having a cylindrical portion, a series of annular disks keyed to slide on the inside of its cylindrical portion, a driven member having a cylindrical portion the corresponding portion of the driving member, and a series of annular disks keyed to slide on the outside of lts ortion, means for moving the driven mem er into and out of engagement with the driving member, radial proJectlons on the periphery of the cylindrical portion of the driven member which engage the driven disks to separate them from the driving disks when the driven member 1s moved away from the driving member to open the clutch.

7. In combination, a drivlng shaft, a driven shaft, a clutch member connected to the driving shaft and having a cylindrmal portion, a clutch member movableaxially of the driven shaft and having a cylindrical portion located within the cylindrical p ortion of the driving member, interlappi annular disks mounted on the cylindrica portions of said members, longitudinal guides on the inside of the cylindrical portion of the driven member, and arms secured to the driven shaft and having their ends in sliding engagement with said guides to transmitmotion between the shaft and the driven member.

8. In aclutch, the combination of a driven shaft, a driven member movable longitudinally of said shaft, a member on the inner end of the driven sha-ft which affords a bearingl for the inner end of the driven member, a riving shaft, a driving member secured to the latter shaft which is provided with a bearing for the outer end of the driven member, and means for moving the driven member longitudinally.

9. In a clutch, the combination of a driven shaft, a driven member movable longtudinally of'said shaft, a bearing on the inner end of the shaft which en agtes the inside of said member, a driving sga and a driving member secured to the lutter shaft which is provided with a bearing that engages the outside of the driven member, there being a clearance between the driven shaft and the portion of said member which immediately surrounds it.

10. In a. clutch, the combination of a drivin shaft, a driven shaft, means for maintalnn the driven shaft in a definite longitudina relation to the driving shaft, a driving member secured to said driving shaft, a driven member mounted for movement axially of the driven shaft, a ball bearing between said members which is arranged adjacent one end of the clutch and is mounted on the driven member to move therewith, said bearing having a. sliding support in the driving member, und a second ball bearing between said members n'rranged adjacent the other end of the clutch.

11. In a clutch, the combination of a driven shaft, a -driven member movable longtudinally of said shaft, a cylindrical memr on the inner end of the driven shaft, a driving shaft, a driving member secured to the shaft which is provided with a bearing support adjacent the outer end of the driven member, a ball boerin(r between said cylindrical member and the driving member, a ball bearing between the su port and the driven member, means secure to the driven shaft and located between said bearings which has a slidin engagement with the driven member, am? means for moving the driven member longitudinally of the shaft.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of December, 1906.

JOSEPH VOLLMER. Witnesses:

MAX HAMBURGER, Osma SINGER. 

